The Visitor
by Gatsby
Summary: Bulma was confronted with her would-be murderer/assasin who collapses at her front door. Who is this person and why does she want to kill Bulma? More importantly, why does she look like Bulma?
1. A Murderer!

Disclaimer: No, I don't own these things. If I did, I wouldn't be writing it here would I?;-)

Author's Note: I'm not very good at writing novellas. I get tired easily of my story and I'm pretty busy lately and so, chapters would come a bit slowly. ;-) So, this first part would be continued to the end, but basically it's a stand-alone piece. The context of this piece would not be explored.

Author's Pleadings: Puh-lease, puh-lease read and review! All feedback is appreciated! 

Timeline of piece: Right at the end of Dragonball Z, you know, where everyone is happy and the sort.

# The Visitor

It was raining heavily when Bulma heard a sharp rap on the door. No one had been at home, save for the robots that usually greeted the door for her. But, today, strangely the robots didn't open the door. Bulma looked at the computer screen and noticed something very peculiar. The security of her house went up notches high as though the entire mansion was on red alert. The security robots were in attack mode and were about to attack whatever it was that was at the front door.

Bulma frowned. She was quite certain it was some sort of malfunctioning. There were no enemies left within this world. Her house was perfectly capable on detecting that anything aggressive might be her husband or her son or her friends. There was another sharp rap on the front door.

A mixture of fear and curiosity scrambled up her throat. Bulma wondered if it were Vegeta and Trunks, sparring outside with the security robots. But they would have more fun sparring with each other, that she discarded the idea immediately.

"Mummy."

Bulma jumped at the voice. She turned around and saw her little girl at the door of her lab. Her little blue-eyed, blue-haired baby who had stolen everyone's hearts the moment they met her, including her husband's. The usually cheerful bubbly little girl now had a touch of melancholy to her, which almost broke Bulma's heart. 

"What is it, honey?"

"Mummy, someone very important is at the door. Don't let her in, mummy."

Bulma frowned in surprise. 

"Bra, do you know who is at the door?"

The little five year old shook her head. "No, mummy."

"Then how do you know she's important?"

"Because she is mummy." Bra answered matter-of-factly. She sounded indignant, irked that her mother didn't believe her.

"And why shouldn't I let her in?" Bulma asked.

"Because she would bring a lot of pain." Bra answered again.

Bulma was surprised with her daughter's answers. Bra suddenly left, to hide in her room. 

A few weeks ago, Bra had suddenly started to say things, that was plain weird and strange, in her opinion. She would know who was at the door without looking, or she would be able to reiterate the exact thoughts that she was thinking. Vegeta was surprised when Bra had suddenly uttered a few words in Saiyan, although Vegeta had never spoken his language in a long time. It was also at that time, the touch of melancholy had set in her usually cheerful daughter.

There was another sharp rap on the door.

'Curiosity killed the cat.' Thought Bulma as she went downstairs to open the door. Bulma punched in the codes to override the security codes and the red alert mode her house was in. The door immediately released the lock. She opened the door.

It was a mess outside. The robots that had attacked were in pieces and it was smoking. They were destroyed. There was a woman in a long black leather jacket, but Bulma couldn't see her face. The fear started scrambling at Bulma's throat.

_She would bring a lot of pain_, Bra's thoughts echoed in her head.

A sole robot charged at the woman and Bulma could see her raise a gun. With one single shot, the robot went down.

Impossible! Bulma's mind screamed. The robot would never go down that easily, not even with the most advanced gun in the world. The only thing that could stop her robots were ki! Yet that woman stopped her security robots. 

Panic seized Bulma. Bulma wanted to turn and shut the door. She would never doubt her security system ever again. Nor would she ever doubt her daughter. If and only if she could turn around, run in and shut the door and set her home in red alert. But she seemed frozen in her spot, watching with morbid fascination at the woman's deadly accuracy in putting away her robot.

The woman turned around slowly. Bulma gasped in fear and in surprise when she could see her face. They were mirror images of each other, save the woman was younger…very much younger...perhaps a teenager and her hair was jet black. The woman's eyes were cold and lifeless. 

Bulma wanted to scream as the young woman looked at her coldly and raised the gun. But before she managed to pull the trigger on Bulma, there was an odd look of realisation and recognition that came across her face. A flash of pain was reflected across the young woman's face when the young woman suddenly collapsed to the floor.


	2. What the hell was she thinking?

Disclaimer: No, I don't own these things. If I did, I wouldn't be writing it here would I?;-)

Author's Note: You have to read Part 1 to understand Part 2. And Part 3 is comin' right up!

Author's Pleadings: Puh-lease, puh-lease read and review! All feedback is appreciated! And for those who have reviewed, thank you very much! That meant a lot to me.

# The Visitor – Part 2

"Woman, that was the most stupid thing you had ever done!" Vegeta yelled at his wife. Bulma simply rolled her eyes. 

"I couldn't help, you understand. She looks exactly like me!" Bulma said, observing the young woman in the regeneration tank. "It's as if I know her." Bulma added softly.

It was Vegeta's turn to roll his eyes. "She tried to kill you, remember?" 

"Yes…but I can't explain it to you, Vegeta, but this girl is special!"

Vegeta observed the woman in the tank. Bulma was right; the young woman in the tank looked a lot like his wife. She was a teenaged version of Bulma except save for the almost cold features that had seemed to set in over the years and the black, shiny hair.

"Vegeta, how…how did you know I was in danger?" Bulma asked quietly breaking the silence that had fallen between them. Vegeta and Trunks had arrived home in Super-saiyajin form, with a predatory stance the exact moment the young woman had collapsed at her feet.

"I felt your fear…and Bra." He remarked as quietly as Bulma had.

Bulma nodded and the silence fell between them once again. They both watched the regeneration tank, their thoughts to themselves without saying a word and while Bulma thought. Vegeta had been avoiding the question for quite some time now, but Bulma could feel that he was hiding something from her. It was as though Vegeta could speak to Bra without saying a word between to the two. It was as though; they were some sort of telepaths.

"Are you willing to tell me now what's wrong with our daughter?" she asked after a while.

"Nothing is wrong with Bra." Vegeta answered curtly.

"Vegeta, please, don't keep these things from me. I know that Bra is special, that she is different from Gohan, Trunks and even Goten. What makes her different from the three of them? Why was she able to speak your mother tongue even though you've never spoken it in front of them?"

Vegeta didn't reply for a moment. He chuckled before looking at Bulma and speaking. "Bra is a true mark of Saiyan royalty. Just as the elusive super-saiyajin was a legend, there were some legends about the saiyan women. Especially the Princess of the Saiyan people."

Bulma did not say a word and allowed her husband to speak.

"Bra…is able to see things and hear things that we can't see or hear. She could see from another person's perspective, she could feel what another person is feeling and she read another person's thoughts. Right now, she isn't able to control it…but she will be able to…with proper training of course."

Bulma did not reply. She didn't want Bra to train; she wanted her daughter to remain normal like an average human girl should be. But deep inside her, she knew that her thought was almost impossible to achieve. Her daughter was different than she. Bra would want to learn to fight; it's instinctive.

"Vegeta, is it overwhelming her right now?"

Vegeta shrugged and Bulma wanted to smack him for his indifference. "She's five, she can handle it." 

"No, Vegeta. I don't think she can handle it. What's the purpose of giving a child such powers, Vegeta? Why was it considered special? She was a cheerful thing and look at her now! She's so sad nowadays." Bulma accused.

Vegeta rolled his eyes again. "Control yourself, woman. She will get over it. There is a good reason why Saiyans consider her powers special. I do not think you are ready to hear it."

She especially hated it when he did that to her. He had always left her hanging about many things.

"I want to hear it." She demanded childishly.

"Besides, Bra and Trunks are fine. They're fighting again." Vegeta said ignoring her. Bulma could hear her teenage son yelling at the five year old and her fighting back.

"Vegeta, I want to know the damned reason why you consider it so damned special!"

Vegeta shook his head. "You are the silliest woman I've ever known. Do you know that?"

Bulma refused to give in. "Tell it to me."

Vegeta simply smirked. Bulma was about to let him have it when Bra bounced into the room and sat on her father's lap.

"Papa, you can't tell just yet, papa! Mummy would get very angry and she won't talk to you for a week!" Bra said. She threw her arms around his neck defiantly as though she was trying to protect her father from her mother. Vegeta stiffened at his daughter's hug, he was still very uncomfortable at public displays of emotions. He pulled her hands away from his neck and shot Bulma a triumphant look.

"Even she knows you're not ready to hear." Vegeta smirked again, irritating Bulma some more.

He tousled his daughter's hair and did not reply for a moment. He seemed to be occupied. And so was Bra. Bulma realised they were communicating with each other through their thoughts again. The pests. 

"I'll go get Trunks!" Bra said excitedly. Bra jumped off her fathers lap and stood in front of her mother. She tried her best to look serious.

"Mummy, papa had given me permission to spar with Trunks. Do I have your permission too?"

The bastard! Bulma realised that her husband had given permission to her daughter through their little chat. The bastard!

"But Bra…" she began.

"Only to fly!" Bra said with big puppy dog eyes.

Bulma shot her husband a dirty look. "I suppose it's alright."

"Yes, it should be alright. You do not want to deny such potential." An unfamiliar voice interrupted.

Bulma shook in fear when she realised that it was a voice from the tank. Vegeta was instinctively on guard. The young woman was awake from the regeneration tank and had managed to remove herself from it without either one noticing it. Vegeta's eyes narrowed coldly, as he had done many times before he entered battle.

"Who are you?" Vegeta growled harshly.

The young woman looked at him straight in the eyes. "Down boy," she mocked. "I know who I am…but who are you?"

Bulma spoke for the first time. "You tried to kill me. You collapsed before you could."

"I did? Interesting. That had never happened to me before. Well, since you people were polite to allow me into your homes even though I tried to kill you, let me tell you who I am. Then you can tell me who you are."

She cleared her throat and stood up straight. "I am Lieutenant Set. Set short for Seventy-eight. I'm a number within the Directive, with Lieutenant ranking. Now, please help me out of my wet clothes because it is very uncomfortable."

She looked at Vegeta and smirked. 

Vegeta looked at her back coldly but Bulma was confused with their exchange. 

"So, you are a saiyajin. I'm surprised that there exists one here, wherever here is." She remarked.

"And you are…" Bulma murmured.

"Just your average wage earner."she said icily. "You know, like I had suggested to the Directive over and over again, all saiyajins and their allies should be killed."

She looked around. "Can I have my gun back please?"

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "With your kind of ki, why do you need a gun?" 

She looked at Vegeta incredulously. "You know, you remind me of Vegeta, except a whole lot more stupid than the other one."

Vegeta was visibly affected by that sentence. Usually it would be he who insulted people and not the other way round. "And a whole lot younger too! Damn, I can't remember what's going on nor can I remember what my orders were!" she continued. She looked at Vegeta and sighed. 

"Well, don't worry Vegeta look-alike. Without direct orders, I can't hurt you." 

Vegeta smirked a cold smile. "Cocky aren't we?"

"Just telling you the truth. I can hurt you."

She yawned. "Can I have my gun back? And I'm rather hungry. When's dinner?"


	3. She Doesn't Fight Like a Girl

Disclaimer: No, I don't own these things. If I did, I wouldn't be writing it here would I?;-)

Author's Pleadings: Puh-lease, puh-lease read and review! All feedback is wanted to cure sleepless nights!

# **The Visitor – Part 3**

Bulma watched as the Set as she insisted that they would call her, sparred with her husband in the gravity room. Undeniably, there was a sense of connection that Set shared with her husband. She noticed it in how she was able to snap back and tell him off at any time and with ease. She had managed to wrap Vegeta around her little finger. Bulma would have been jealous if she were younger but she could see that the attraction they have to each other is not sexual. Vegeta seemed to have a soft spot for his wife's would be killer, Bulma thought wryly. But the worse part was that she seemed to have place in her heart for her killer.

Goku had come over almost immediately, along with Piccolo, Yamcha, Krillin, Goten and Gohan right after Set had woken up from the regeneration tank. She had explained to them who she was, Piccolo was convinced that she was a new enemy. Goku suggested that they should wait and find out who she was.

Set was enraged when she saw Goku for the first time was about to attack him when she stopped herself. She kept murmuring, "I can't attack without the Directive's permission, I can't attack without the Directive's permission," which had driven her to tears. Bulma had asked her what her new orders were but she said she couldn't remember. This was the first time she said she had forgotten her orders completely but she reassured Bulma that she would remember it one day and that day would come soon. Bulma had said that she could stay in their home until she remembered.

"Mum, who is that girl in there fighting in there with dad?" Trunks asked watching his father spar with a stranger.

"I don't know." _My would-be murderer_, she thought to herself. _The one we're all welcoming with open arms_. 

"You don't know and yet you allow her into the house?" Trunks demanded. 

"Yes."

Trunks had stormed off at her comments. She understood why Trunks had stormed off but she couldn't explain it to her son why she allowed that young woman into their home and why she trusted her. She was still trying to explain to herself why she trusted Set. Perhaps she was going senile, who knows?

A few minutes later, Trunks came back. "I'm fine with it now." He told his mother.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" his mother questioned him.

Trunks shrugged. "Bra said it's alright as long as you're not alone with her."

Bulma looked at her son in utter confusion. "Trunks, since when do you trusts the words of a six year old?"

"Since Bra is able to help me out with my problems with Madeline, I trust whatever she says." Trunks grinned a charming smile.

"What did she do?"

"Well, she told me some of the things that Madeline was feeling and she said I could fix it the way Madeline wanted it. She's pretty good." 

Bulma shook her head as Trunks walked off. Things were becoming stranger by the minute. Her daughter's a psychic and there was a murderer in the house who she liked. But then again, her life was never normal to begin with.

***

"Is that the best you could do?" Set taunted Vegeta in the gravity chambers.

Vegeta chuckled. He hadn't had such a creative partner in along time. She was unique in the way she fought, her grace brought out some advantage in their spars. But she was young and he was still the more experience one of the two. She had a good strong ki, and she was a talented fighter.

"I could do better." Vegeta smirked and attacked. His sudden attack wiped the smug smile of her face.

They sparred for a moment and Vegeta was about to deliver the winning blow to her head when Set took out her gun and pointed directly at his head.

"I win." Set smirked.

Vegeta nearly laughed. "A gun? You could do better than that girl. Why do you need a gun for?"

"You don't know what it does?" Set asked incredulously. "You know, people were terrified of me and my gun. It's certainly more efficient working with a gun than fighting this way." Set took her gun and stuffed it into his hands.

"Use it," she encouraged. "As long as you don't point that thing at me, I'm cool."

Vegeta held the cold metal in his hand.

"How are you sure I won't use it on you?" he asked.

"I just know."

Vegeta held the gun and aimed at a sparring robot that laid down on the floor not in use. These robots were tough, and he wanted to see how tough the gun was, if it was as tough as she said it was. Vegeta pulled the trigger. He felt as though his ki was drawn into the gun and sharp blast shot out of the gun. It was then he realised the power of her gun. Shit, he thought admiringly.

Vegeta pointed the gun straight at her. "How did you get this gun back?"

"When you people were not looking." She yawned. 

"And how do you know I would not use this gun you?"

"Because I can feel it." 

Vegeta stepped back for a moment. He dropped the gun. 'Are you able to hear what I'm saying to you?' he thought. Set looked at him in surprise. "Hey! I could hear that! You were communicating with me directly. Are you able to read thoughts as well? You sure aren't like the other Vegeta!"

"Like the other Vegeta?"

"Yes…you tell me that you are Vegeta. Your wife tells me that she is Bulma. That idiotic grinning man that had just come over just now, you tell me it is Goku. But you don't register within my memory bank as my enemies unlike the ones I know. I assume there is something different here…so I can't attack you or take you prisoner. I must be in the past that much I've figured out…but that's all I know. Without an order from the directive, you are my friend."

"So…are you saying you are from the future?"

Set laughed. "Couldn't you have figured that out? I'm too advanced for you old people!"

Vegeta paused for a moment, deciding on what to do next. He knew who this person was now, but he needed one more thing to prove it was she.

Vegeta turned into Super Saiyajin and attacked her.

Set's cheerfulness disappeared almost immediately. Her eyes turned cold and lifeless as it were before and she levitated herself, waiting for Vegeta to come close. There was a flash of anger that was reflected in her face. There was a sudden brilliant flash of white light that enveloped her and Vegeta got what he wanted.

Set's hair turned a beautiful blonde as she glowed. She turned Super Saiyajin. There was anger in her face, so brilliant that…the anger she had mirrored his…

Vegeta powered down. Set was still poised on attacking him but it seemed like she was stopping herself from doing it. She powered herself down. 

"How old are you, Set?"

"Seventeen." Set paused before beginning again. She was trembling and was obviously in shock. "For a second, I almost remembered my orders. I…almost remembered my family…I was almost able to read your mind again…it disappeared again…I can't remember what my orders are! This is impossible, I have no idea what to do!" she began her voice, emotional and her eyes brimming with tears. 

Vegeta was about to question her about her Saiyan heritage but it seemed that Set was too distraught to say anything or thing about anything. She looked at Vegeta for a second "I'm really tired Vegeta-san. I have to go to bed. Good night."

She powered down some more and was about to walk out of the gravity chambers without looking back.


	4. The Sentimental Bit

Author's note: A bit too sentimental for my taste. I have no clue what gotten into me!

Author's Pleading: Please, please Read Me and Review Me!! I would be soo grateful!

Disclaimer: Not mine. Theirs. 

# The Visitor – Part 4

Set had been living with them for a few weeks now. She sparred frequently with Vegeta and helped Bulma on some of her experiments. Besides her occasionally arrogant, brilliant and aggressive attitude, she was generally a pleasant person to be around with. She could remember bits and pieces of her order, but other than that, she seemed pretty cheerful to have forgotten it. And she had once told Bulma, it had been a long time since she belonged to a family. Bulma had asked if she had any family. 

"They had all died a long time ago, thanks to the Saiyans." She murmured sadly. 

Bulma wanted to know more, but she had let it pass, it was an obviously painful subject to her. She couldn't remember much about her parents except for their death by the Saiyans. But Set did point out that her mother gave the choker she wore around her neck. "It's the only link I have to the past. I don't remember who I really am. I know who I am from what the Directive tells me, and I can hardly remember what my parents look like. The Directive rescued me before I was murdered along with my parents."

"Set…how sure are you that the Saiyans did kill your parents?"

"I'm sure!" Set snapped. "That I know for sure. My orders in the future are to kill all the allies of the Saiyan people and the Saiyans themselves." Set looked coldly at Bulma. "If it didn't apply to the past, I would have gladly killed your husband and your friend, no matter how nice you were to me."

"But you tried to kill me." Bulma reminded Set gently.

Set seemed shaken by Bulma's words. "It must be a mistake in my orders. That must be the reason why I collapsed. They probably stopped me before I made a mistake." Set replied confidently.

"Who are they?"

"The Directive. They are very strong and powerful and they never make mistakes." Set smiled confidently. "The General in the Directive, he takes care of me…he's like my father." Set said softly, her eyes turning pale blue with the emotions coursing through her veins. "I wish I could remember what's going on…I want to go home." Set said sadly.

Bulma had given Set a hug as she stood by her despair of not knowing what was really going on. Bulma had asked her before about the future but Set had refused to tell her apart from the Directive and the apparent war with the Saiyans. "That's for you to find out." She had said cryptically.

But things were going all right generally. Trunks had developed a semi-crush on Set, following her wherever she went. She was nice to him but she treated him like her baby brother, to Trunk's discontent. It was amusing though to Bulma. Considering their age, they were about the same but Set acted so much older. She had aged, not in years but in spirit. Her eyes reflected person years older than she should be. But the only thing she could not understand was Set could never seem to get along with Bra. They never talked to each other and whenever they did, it seemed like the conversations ended as soon as it began. Bra didn't seem to take an interest in Set and Set didn't seem to take an interest in Bra.

Bulma glanced at her watch. It was almost nine. It was time to put Bra to bed as usual. She got up from her lab to tuck her daughter into bad, like she usually did every night. She yawned unexpectedly. It was early but she had a long day. Maybe she should have a nice cup of cocoa and go to bed reading a book.

As she walked upstairs, strains of music could be heard coming from her daughter's room. It was a combination of a child and an adult's voice.

_"Wishing you were somehow here again_

_Knowing we must say goodbye_

_Try to forgive_

_Teach me to live_

_Give me the strength to try."_

Bulma stopped and peered into the room and saw both Bra and Set lying down on the bed together. It surprised her considering the both of them had not gotten along very well. A smile crept on her face. Perhaps there was hope that things would change between them.

"My mum taught me that song a long time ago. It's the only thing I remember from her." Set said to Bra. "And my mummy had just taught me that song." Bra replied.

Set caught Bulma's eye and got up. "It's time for you to got bed, Bra. It's late….g'nite, Bra"

"G'nite…Bra." Bra repeated. Set grinned. "Yes, good night to myself too."

Bulma came into the room as Set stepped out. "G'nite Bulma-san, it's been a long day and a long time. I have to go now."

Bulma said good night as Set walked out of the room. "Mummy," Bra began. "Sing me that song again."


	5. Finale

Author's note: It's the last and the longest one! I'm done for now! Thank you for bearing with me and coming along with me this far! I love ya all!

Author's Pleading: Please, please READ and REVIEW! All I need to make this week better would be reviews and feedback. And to the people who have reviewed me, a big warm and heartfelt THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. 

# The Visitor – Part 5

The next day was a gloomy morning with slight drizzling and cold winds. Vegeta had insisted on Trunks to train with him and off they had gone. The only difference this time was they had brought Bra along. She asked them if she had wanted to bring Set, but Trunks had shaken his head, no. He had tried to wake her up but she had been asleep very soundly. Bulma believed it was the first time in Set's stay here that she slept soundly. Bulma had woken up to Set's whimpering in the middle of the night, presumably from nightmares.

Not forgetting Bra's advise, Trunks asked his mother to go over to someone else's house while they were gone.

"As Bra had said, you can't be alone together."

Bulma had brushed him off. Don't be ridiculous she had said. You can't leave a guest in a lurch like that. Trunks had eyed her, watching for any nervousness but gave in finally. Trunk's trust had grown in Set. And so she was left alone with Set.

It was almost ten in the morning when she decided to check upon Set. Set had not wakened up and she hadn't heard a peep from Set. Worriedly, she had gone up to check on her. That was when the fear had set in.

Set was missing from her bed. As Bulma walked into Set's room the door slammed shut. Bulma turned around to see a very cruel smile etched on Set's face. She had a look of pure maniacal power but her eyes were similar as they were on the first day they had met, lifeless and dead. Set had a gun pointed directly at her head.

"Set!" Bulma began, her voice squeaking.

"Good morning, Bulma."

Ser ran her hand through her hair. "Good news for me, Bulma. I remembered what my orders are. Bad news for you, Bulma. They are…to kill you."

"Excuse me?" Bulma whispered.

"There, there. After all, you are in the way of the Directive. We can't have you leading the Resistance. It is so much easier once you're gone." Set laughed.

"The Resistance?"

"Well, of course you don't know what it is. The Resistance is the pesky little group with those Saiyan bastards try to stop the Directive. You know, try to liberate countries that don't need liberation from the Directive. Think about Bulma, the Directive is for your own benefit!"

Bulma didn't know what to say. She was beginning to regret not following Trunk's advice. Set was a maniac, she was a killer! She should have realised it earlier and not have gone on with her instincts. She should have gone with her head and killed Set or locked her up or something! _Idiot_! She berated herself.

"But of course you don't know that yet, Bulma. This is the past. What I've said to you is the present. But to you…it is known as the future!" Set began dramatically. _This is almost cliché_, Bulma thought sarcastically with her fear.

"The future?"

"Yes, Bulma, I am from the future. Surprised you a bit huh? My mission is to kill you and go back home."

Set had definitely gone insane. She didn't seem to remember the three weeks she had been passing at their home! Bulma swallowed hard. "And you're going to kill me because I'm the leader of the Resistance?"

"Yeah. That's about it. So, say your prayers Bulma-san. The resistance is no more."

Set paused. "Oh, and before you die. I think you should know this. Your daughter's special powers…I have them too. Their purpose, the one where Vegeta refused to tell you? It makes you a better hunter, a better predator. The skills make you a better killer. I bet you without your influence, I am sure your daughter would live to be my age…but with you, she had died. Now, with your death, perhaps she would be the huntress she was meant to be."

As Set aimed her gun well, the door suddenly banged open revealing Trunks. Set turned around and was about to shoot Trunks when he wrestled the gun away from her. Before she could react, Trunks used the gun and knocked Set unconscious. 

"Mum! Are you alright?" he yelled.

Bulma who had been frozen to her spot sprang to life and sat beside Trunks. She needed her son to be by her side. It made her feel safe. She watched as Trunks picked up the gun and accurately shot the choker around Set's neck. The choker disintegrated and Trunks sat down, panting hard.

"Thank goodness I came here on time,"

"Trunks, I…" but Bulma never finished her sentence. She looked at Trunks and realised something. It was Trunks who she was seeing in front of her. It was Trunks with his lavender hair and blue eyes. But he was so much older than the Trunks she knew that it must be…

"You're not Trunks! You're…." Bulma began in hysterical voice. 

"I am Trunks," he began gently. "I'm just older, mother. I'm from the future" 

Bulma could not say a word as Trunks picked his Set up and held her in his arms. He kissed Set on the forehead and his eyes welled up in tears.

"Why do you care for her? She tried to kill me!" Bulma shrieked.

Trunks gently brushed aside Set's hair that had fallen on her face. He held her tighter as his mother yelled at him.

"It wasn't her fault…it was the choker. The choker blocked her real memories, feeding them with fake ones. It also blocked her emotions. Once she has received her orders she becomes a killing machine. She won't stop until she's done. She won't remember the things she had done to you or the nice things you've done. She's not fully conscious on who she really is."

Trunks looked at his mother. "Do you know how long we've looked for her? We've been looking for her for three years. The elusive Lieutenant 78. The killing machine that had been working for the Directive against her will."

"I don't understand…who is she?"

At that point in time, Set's eyes fluttered open. She looked around slowly, her eyes wild with fear of the unfamiliar surroundings. She was about to panic when her eyes fell on Trunks.

"Trunks? Is that you?" she began with a hoarse voice.

Trunks smiled widely. "Yes, Bra, it's me. You're with me and you're coming home now."

Set or Bra struggled to sit up with her brother's help. She smiled at him before giving him a long hug. Bulma watched the two siblings embrace in half-horror and half relief. Set was her daughter! She was Bra from the future!

"But how…but her hair is black!" Bulma heard herself say, tying to convince herself that she was not her daughter.

"They made me dye it while I was with the directive." Bra speaking softly, trying to understand what had happened to her. "I was so confused as to who I was as a person. I didn't know who I was. All I knew was that my family had died and that the Saiyans killed them. It was my duty to kill. I didn't feel much because…the choker, it blocked out emotions."

Bulma looked at Bra/Set. It explained all their similarities and the effect Bra/Set had Vegeta, how she managed to control him. 

"Mother," Trunks began as he stood up. He held his hand out to Bra and helped her up. "We have to go home now, immediately. She has to go home now; she hasn't been home in three years. Mother and Father miss her desperately. And she is needed. There is to be a battle between the Directive and the Resistance. And we need Bra to fight for us for the first time, not against us."

Bulma didn't know what to say. "Wait, this is all happening because of the war between the Directive and the Resistance. Are you saying that my daughter would be kidnapped and abused this way? Or tell me that this future would change because you warned me."

Trunks shifted uncomfortably. "Mother," he began in a gentle tone. "I do not know…perhaps it would, perhaps it wouldn't."

"I'm sorry, Mum." Bra suddenly interrupted. "Forgive me for what I tried to do. I would never mean to hurt you in any way at all."

Bulma silenced her with a hug. Bra broke down and cried in her arms. Bulma cried too, knowing the pain her future self must have gone through, missing her daughter for three years, knowing that her daugher was killing emotionlessly in the future.

"I wish I could say goodbye to Papa but…"

"He's right here." Said another voice. It was Vegeta standing at the door throughout all the commotion. 

Bra threw herself onto her father. "Papa, I'm sorry too." She began, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't say sorry to me. You have nothing to be sorry about. Go home and find your father. He misses you very much." Vegeta said gruffly, reluctantly hugging his future daughter back. Bra knew what he was in fact, touched by his emotions, although it was hidden behind his controlled voice.

"Wait…Bra, Trunks. Stay." Bulma pleaded, saying the first things that popped in her head. "You don't have to go back to such a war!" 

Trunk shook his head. "We would like too, but we have to go home immediately. It's important, there's another battle going to happen." Bra smiled sadly but the thought of going home to her parents cheered her up so much.

"I'm going back now, mum, papa! See you in the future!" Bra yelled cheerfully. Future Trunks nodded to his father and hugged his mother goodbye. And then, the both of them walked out the door and out of their lives forever.

## Epilogue

"Papa, you're frightened." Bra observed.

Vegeta studied his daughter and she climbed into bed. She smiled her sweetest smile at him. Yes, he was frightened. The future Bra had shown that peace wouldn't last very long, that another war would begin. And that he would loose his daughter.

"Don't worry, papa. I'll always be with you." She smiled.

She gave her father a hug and he hugged her back tightly. The thought of loosing her…yes, it frightened him. Was it inevitable? He didn't know. The future had changed before…could it change again? Bulma had blamed Bra's training as the cause for her to be the killer machine in the future and forbid her to be trained. But without proper training, Vegeta had lied; her powers would overwhelm her to insanity. Bra had to be trained. They now knew of the future chaos that would soon come. But would their Bra be the same as the Bra that had come to the past to kill her mother? Or had the future changed?

"We'll always be together right, papa?" she asked in Saiyan.

"Yes, we are." He replied in his own language.

Bra sighed contentedly. "Good night, papa. I love you."

"Good night, Bra," Whatever that may happen, will happen. But that would not stop him from promising her this. "We'll always be together. I…love you too, Bra."

The End

The song was from 'Highlights from The Phantom of the Opera'

Song title: Wishing you were somehow here again

Singer: Sarah Brightman

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber

I really recommend this CD to anyone. Especially good tracks: Phantom of the Opera, duet by Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman and Music of the Night by Michael Crawford. 

Shameless advertising…..hehehehhe.

Thank you once again!! 


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